OLYMPIA - With low returns of steelhead expected this year to the Skagit River basin, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is adjusting recreational fishing seasons on the Cascade, Sauk and Skagit rivers and Fisher Slough to protect wild steelhead.

Those and other selective gear rules scheduled to take effect on those waters are listed on page 26 of WDFW's Fishing in Washington regulation pamphlet, which is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm . There will be some exceptions, however, for the use of motorized vessels on the Skagit River.

On all three rivers and the slough, anglers will have a daily limit of two hatchery steelhead.

"We're expecting a down year for wild steelhead to the Skagit River basin," said Bob Leland, WDFW's steelhead program manager. "These emergency changes will allow anglers to continue to harvest hatchery fish, while reducing impacts to this spring's wild steelhead return."

Only about 5,100 wild steelhead are expected to return to the Skagit River basin this year, about 900 fish below the spawning escapement goal. The low steelhead returns are likely due to poor ocean survival, impacts of flooding in 2005 and several other factors, Leland said.

Puget Sound wild steelhead, which are identified by an intact adipose fin, were listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act last year. Anglers fishing the Cascade, Sauk and Skagit, as well as Fisher Slough must release any wild steelhead they intercept.

"By moving to selective gear requirements, and closing portions of the Skagit and Sauk rivers early, more wild steelhead should have an opportunity to reach the spawning grounds this spring," Leland said.

From mouth upstream to the Memorial Highway Bridge (Highway 536 at Mt. Vernon) effective February 16 until May 31. Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.
From Memorial Highway Bridge (Highway 536 at Mt. Vernon) upstream to Gilligan Creek effective February 16 until March 15 (closed March 16 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish, except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.
From Gilligan Creek to Dalles Bridge at Concrete effective February 16 until March 15 (closed March 16 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish, except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.
From the Dalles Bridge at Concrete to the Highway 530 Bridge at Rockport effective February 16 until March 31 (closed April 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Release all fish, except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.
From the Highway 530 Bridge at Rockport to the Cascade River effective February 16 until March 31 (closed April 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Unlawful to fish from a floating device while under power. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.
From Cascade River to Gorge Powerhouse (Dam) effective February 16 until March 15 (closed March 16 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply, internal combustion motors allowed. Unlawful to fish from a floating device while under power. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

New rules for the Sauk River:

From mouth to the Darrington Bridge effective February 16 until March 31 (closed April 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.
From the Darrington Bridge to Whitechuck River effective February 16 until February 29 (closed March 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

New rules for the Cascade River:

From mouth upstream (entire river) effective February 16 until February 29 (closed March 1 through May 31). Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

New rules for Fisher Slough:

From mouth to Highway 530 Bridge effective February 16 until May 31. Selective gear rules apply. Release all fish except up to two hatchery steelhead may be retained per day.

Must have been a serious brain fart somewhere when they came up with the rules for Fisher Slough below 530. Crap that must be all of 100 yards of ditch that's mostly overgrown with willows and alder. I doubt if a steelhead has been there since Teddy Rosevelt was in office.

Yes, plus they actually extended the Kill season for hatchery fish - not that many are found in March, but switched to Selective Gear Rules 1 month early (2 weeks early on the Sauk).

This was a good compromise, in my (non scientific) opinion.
It looks like they took everyone's interest in mind. (Hopefully the fish too) I do think having anglers on the river in March will discourage poaching.

Yes, plus they actually extended the Kill season for hatchery fish - not that many are found in March, but switched to Selective Gear Rules 1 month early (2 weeks early on the Sauk).

CW

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Likely part of the rational for extending the season was to eliminate additional hatchery fish on the spawning grounds. Of course, this may equal additional tribal fishing effort as well. Be interesting to see catch record harvest for the month of March. Of course many anglers fail to punch their cards and even more fail to turn them in.

I have caught quite a few hatchery fish in early march. With 2 being chrome bright hens. One in the Sauk and one in the Lower Skagit. At the same time, I have caught downstream Hatchery fish as well. Skinny, beat up fish. Which leads me to believe they didn't spawn at the hatchery.